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Standing 6-foot-4 at a healthy 243 pounds, Kalif Jackson knows he’s uncoverable by opposing linebackers and defensive backs in the SWAC. He was beating SEC linebackers off the line and was too big and strong for corners and safeties at Florida, which wanted him and earned his signature in 2015.

A former three-star wide receiver out of Duncan Fletcher High School in Jacksonville, Jackson is a mismatch nightmares for defensive coordinators. And that’s why Grambling State needed him and earned his signature in 2018. The school announced the Florida transfer’s signing Tuesday afternoon.

“I can block, but there’s not going to be a linebacker that can cover me,” Jackson told The News-Star Friday. “And I’m too big for safeties and DBs. I played wide receiver growing up. When I got to Florida, I played receiver. I know the nuances of running routes and I was beating DBs at Florida and some of those guys are now playing in the NFL. If I come in with the right mindset, I won’t be stopped.”

The need for Jackson at Grambling, where the tight end position is wide open after redshirt junior Jordan Jones made the move back to running back and three unproven guys are on the roster, outweighed the allure to attend another Power Five program. He had Power Five and other FBS options to finish out his final two years of eligibility, but what he learned from his three years with the Gators made choosing the Tigers easy. Also, GSU being both of his parents, Brenda Priescely-Jackson Deandre Jackson as well as older sister and uncles’ alma mater, made the move a no-brainer and an exciting moment the family shared when he made the decision.

“I know what comes out of Grambling, I know the history there. When the opportunity arose to come there, yeah, I had Power Five schools that wanted me, I had other FBS schools wanting me, but I wanted to go where I was needed and wanted, not just wanted,” Jackson said. “There’s a difference and it took me three years to learn the difference. You can want somebody and not need them, it’s two different things.”

Out of high school, Jackson held 28 scholarships offers, including from Nebraska, Missouri, Louisville, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, among several others, before signing with Florida.

Jackson, who reports to GSU June 20, joins a growing list of former SEC and other Power Five players that have found Grambling State to be their rightful place. Currently on roster, running back DeSherrius Flowers originally signed with Alabama and defensive end Anfernee Mullins inked with Mississippi State out of high school. Fellow 2018 Grambling signee JUCO linebacker Cecil Cherry signed with Texas.

Other former Power Five players like former safety and current Cleveland Brown Montrell Meander, quarterback DeVante Kincade, who spent three seasons at Ole Miss, safety Kendall Hill, a graduate transfer from Oregon State, have all found their final collegiate home at GSU since head coach Broderick Fobbs and his staff have come in 2014.

While he’s seen the success of those former three- and four-star high school prospects garnered with the G-Men, it didn’t factor into his decision. For him, Grambling checked all the boxes.

“It’s a good program, their head coach runs the team well, they compete for championships every year and they sent people to the NFL. I wanted to go to Grambling. I’ve done the (predominantly white institutions) and the Power Fives before,” he said. “It’s a better fit for me and that’s why I chose Grambling.”

The tight end knows he can make an immediate impact, despite the fact it’s been three years since he’s contributed to a team. He competed in 10 games over two seasons with the Gators, but didn’t record any stats. A hard-nosed pass catcher with a knack to find the end zone who’s intelligent, he graduated from Florida in three years, everything he’s learned over will carry over the next two years at Grambling State.

“If I do what I’m supposed to do, I’m going to be that guy. I didn’t chose to come there if I didn’t think I could be the guy. In my mind, I will be that guy,” Jackson said. “We competed for championships at Florida, we didn’t win them, but I know how to get there. I wanted to come there and I want to cause problems in the SWAC. That’s what I want to do, I want to be a problem.”

Follow Cory Diaz on Twitter @CoryDiaz_TNS and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CoryDiazTNS/